Can I get an Amen to this?!?
I can see there being a handful of arguments – like, “Well then enlighten me.” Nah, that’s not working anymore, because I’ve had enough stories twisted and turned and enough people have been hurt because of that. There are some people that you just can’t have certain conversations with. They are the people that will just never understand. Sometimes, this is genuinely no fault of their own; we all have different life experiences and different ideas on how the world should work. Even someone who was raised with you may not agree or understand exactly. This is why we have different types of friends. Some friends just get things.
Honestly though, I need to keep this quote in mind when I am talking to people at work. People only understand things that they get. And I’ve seen that quote about a fish being smart but if you ask it to climb a tree it will fail, I know, I get that. But there is a point where the fish should stay in the water and hire a squirrel to go up the tree or something. Just my opinion. It’s only Monday and it’s been a long day. Is it that noticeable?!? I also have a killer headache and could go off on about 100 random tangents, but that’s not going to do anyone any good, because some people will get it and others will read too much in to something (see what I did there?).
So, in conclusion, if you are someone who really wants to “get it” then admit that up front. Tell the person that you are talking to that you don’t understand and you are interested in learning more. They may take the time to tell you, or, maybe, to understand the situation better you will be referred to a book or article or whatever. And if you really care about the person and learning, then you should take the time to read the material they suggest. Because the only way we are going to grow and avoid hurt is if we really seek to understand and expand our knowledge base, and just maybe, become a better person in the process.
xoxo